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Algebra & Real Numbers:
Sets:
a) They are a collection of objects with the important property.
b) Each object in a set is called an element or member of the set.
c) �∈� means "a is an element of set A” E.g. �∈{�,�,�}
d) �∉� means "a is not an element of set A” E.g. �∉{�,�,�}
e) A set is finite if the number of elements in the set can be counted and infinite if
there is no end in counting its elements.
f) A set is empty or null set if it contains no elements, and is denoted by ∅
g) If each element of set A is also an element of set B, we say that A is a subset of set
B, and we write �⊂� e.g. {�,�}⊂{�,�,�}
h) Since the empty set ∅ has no elements, every element of ∅ is also an element of
any given set. Thus, the empty set is a subset of every set. E.g. ∅⊂{�,�,�}
i) If two sets A and B have exactly the same elements, the sets are said to be equal,
and we write �=� {�,�,�}={�,�,�}
j) Union: �∪� : The combining all the elements of A and B. E.g {1,2} ∪ {2,3}={1,2,3}
k) Intersection: �∩� :The set of elements of A that are also in B. E.g {1,2} ∩ {2,3}={2}
The set of Real Numbers:
a) It is any number that has a decimal representation.
b) Real numbers and important subsets:
c) The Set of Real Numbers:
Symbol Name Description Examples
N Natural
numbers
Counting numbers (also called positive
integers)
1, 2, 3, …
Z Integers Natural numbers, their negatives and 0 … , -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, …
Q
Rational
numbers
Numbers that can be represented as
a/b. where a and b are integers and
b≠0; decimal representations are
repeating or terminating
-4, 0, 1, 25,
−3
5
,
2
3
,
3.67, -0.333,5.2727
I
Irrational
numbers
Numbers that can be represented as
nonrepeating and nonterminating
decimal numbers
√2, �, √7
3
, 1.4142..
2.718…
R Real
numbers
Rational numbers and irrational
numbers
Natural number exponents:
a) For n a natural number and a any real number:
�
�
=��ׅ.� ,� ������� �� � , E.g. 2
4
=2×2×2×2 4 ������� �� 2
Polynomials:
a) They are involving only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
rising to natural number powers on variables and constants.
b) Examples of Polynomials and Nonpolynomials: